Best Hiking Trails in Olympic National Park

Seasonal Popularity

Overview

The Olympic National Park in the northwest corner of Washington state boasts glaciers, 73 miles of wild coastal beaches, sea stacks, a temperate rainforest and an incredibly undisturbed and highly diverse ecosystem with plants and animals found nowhere else in the world. The Olympic Mountain Range juts above the surrounding river lowlands with Mount Olympus, the highest point, at nearly 8,000 feet above sea level.

Though less imposing than nearby Mount Rainier, the area is well worth a visit. And if you take the time to explore the more remote areas, you'll be rewarded with unadulterated Mother Nature and few other people in true Pacific Northwest wilderness. It's worth the trip to breathe in the humidity of pristine old-growth forests, or explore stunning beaches. Just remember to bring your rain gear, because the Hoh Rain Forest also receives the most rain of anywhere in the continental United States, with an average rainfall of around 150 inches per year.

Getting Started

To get started, check out this webpage for ferry information, driving directions, airports, camping, lodging, road status and more.

Though accessible by car, no road crosses the park like in nearby Mount Rainier or North Cascades National Parks. Instead, 12 different roads stem off different points along US-101, and none of them penetrate the real interior of the Olympics, which is only accessible by foot. And without a set of wheels, it's difficult to navigate the various sections, which can be several hours apart even by car.

The Olympic National Park has quite a few unique areas to explore, but the most popular parts of the park are Hurricane Ridge in the north, the Sol Duc hot springs, waterfalls and Lake Crescent in the northwest, the temperate Hoh Rain Forest in the west and the pristine, rugged Pacific coastline to the far west, which is detached from the main park itself.

Hurricane Ridge

Hurricane Ridge is the most easily accessed part of the Olympic National Park for those coming from the Seattle area, and one of the most popular due to its spectacular views at the top of the 17-mile Hurricane Ridge Road, which begins in Port Angeles. It's a popular drive, motorcycle ride or cycle trip. Just watch the weather, because as the name suggests, Hurricane Ridge gets mighty gusty. Once there, enjoy the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center exhibits and film, open year-round (weather permitting).

Elwha

At the time of writing, Elwha was closed to vehicles due to major flood damage, leaving limited parking and turn around space at the Madison Falls parking lot. If you're planning on hiking in the Elwha river area, it's worth taking a look at their massive restoration efforts and the recent removal of two dams.

Sol Duc

Who doesn't love a good hot spring? And Olympic National Park has multiple! The Sol Duc Hot Spring Resort is open March 24th through October 29th, with surprisingly low rates for adults and children alike. If you're looking for something less developed, hike to the natural pools up the Boulder Creek Trail. Modest hikers beware, as local tradition dictates these are bathing suit optional. The National Park Service also wants to inform hikers that the water quality in the natural pools isn't monitored, and may contain harmful bacteria.

Lake Crescent

Lake Crescent is hard to miss, as it sits on the US-101 in the northwest corner of the park. Get reeled in by the miles of glistening shoreline, and enjoy a few of the local trails. If you're looking for a coffee or a meal, the historic Lake Crescent Lodge is worth a visit.

Hoh Rain Forest and Quinault Rain Forest

The temperate Hoh Rain Forest is a special part of the Pacific Northwest, and no visitor should miss it. With its ferns and massive Sitka Spruce, Western Hemlock, Douglas-Fir and trees covered in hanging beards of moss, you might just feel like you've wandered into an enchanted forest.

Though less popular, the Quinault Rain Forest just south of the Hoh has its own special attractions. It's supposed to be one of the best places to hear newborn elk in the spring, or elk bulls bugling in the fall—an eerie sound you won't soon forget. If you're short on time, check out the Quinault Loop Trail from Lake Quinault.

Staircase, Dosewallips and Deer Park

These three areas are all located on the eastern side of the park, and are closer to Seattle and the ferries. Though less frequented, they're a good place to beat the crowds, and are less likely to be rainy due to the rain shadow effect of the mountains. Check out the Dosewallips River Trail, or the 7.5 mile out and back Obstruction Point-Deer Park Trail.

When to Go

The summer is undoubtedly the best and driest time to visit the Olympic National Park, as many amenities close for the winter. The road to Hurricane Ridge remains open and plowed on winter weekends and holidays, and is a great spot to enjoy winter sports on your own, or with kids in the sledding and tubing areas. Check out the operating hours for the park, and details on winter fun at Hurricane Ridge.

Permits

Permits and entrance fees are required at the Olympic National Park, and are an important part of keeping our national park system alive and well. Find all your wilderness permits for backcountry camping, entrance and campground fees and information, here.

This was my first time above 5,000 feet and my first time hiking in a National Park. I’m a decently fit person in my 30s and it was a challenge to maintain a good clip as the elevation gain comes throughout the long 7mi trek. Amazing views at the top although it can get cloudy, blocking some magnificent views. However, for being in October in the PNW, it was gorgeous. Some steep points but no equipment needed.

Heavenly walk through the woods for the first 4miles. Mile 5-6 start to get your heart rate up, and the last 1.4miles is hard. I did also have an over night pack with all my gear, which that weighed ~30-35lbs. Make sure to start early to beat the heat and to get a good spot at the lake!

Off of 101 turn onto Lake Crescent Rd towards ranger station. The trail is incredibly well maintained. Young children and strollers are no problem.
I would not make a special trip to see these falls. However if you have time and are driving by no reason not to stop

Hiked the loop as a 2 night backpack trip this past weekend and it was amazing. Wildflowers are blooming, perfect peninsula weather conditions (70s and sunny blue skies), and rugged trail made this one of my favorite backpacks and hikes in the PNW. We stayed at sol duc river #4 and lunch lake. At lunch lake you will be constantly swarmed by mosquito's - you've been warned. Amazing trail starting in the dense forest near sol duc falls that goes all the way into the high alpine with breathtaking views of seven lakes basin and Mt. Olympus.

One of the best hikes in the area to get an unbelievable view of Crescent Lake and check out a cool WWII lookout. We started hiking around 1 pm and came back around 5:45 pm. On our way up, we saw a few people coming down, but on the way down we were completely alone. I’m shocked we saw less than 10 people on this hike during Memorial Day. Around mile 2, you’ll cross a small gully - beware of your footing. Once you cross it, the elevation starts to climb and you’ll start to sweat. Bring bug spray - the bugs were pretty brutal at the top since there wasn’t much wind.

A great backpacking trip that follows the river though the valley with elevation gain stretched over many miles. Ample campsites at the end and requires a permit and bear canister to hike. The chalet was moved back due to the receding river bank and will most likely need to be moved again. Rangers were camped back in the valley checking permits. This is a perfect hike to do with friends, especially if they enjoy a variety of tree species. Break up the mileage by camping in designated campsites along the way.